Traveling without reservations

[Janss]

What is your strategy if the campground you plan to go to is full? For example, we want to go to West Yellowstone on a loop route of western states this summer. We'd really like to camp in Baker's Hole CG, and we need electric hookup. They don't take reservations. We know we should try to arrive by early afternoon on Sun.- Wed. for best chances. But what if it's full when we arrive? Do you all just hope there is another site at a campground/RV park somewhere in the area and start calling around? Do your plans for staying in an area ever get ruined because you can't find a place to camp?

We used to travel without reservations in the past when we had a small Class C without tow car, and didn't need electric hookup in high elevation (due to health problem). Great times and discoveries back then. But now is a different story.

[Janss]

Mountain Mama....I may do the same after finding out what the cancellation policy is at the RV parks.

DrtDevl....I've been in stalls where my knees are touching the stall door after I sit down. Then I hit my head on the door when I get up! So I also occasionally use the handicapped stall.

[Mountain_Mama]

Janss wrote:
Thank you for the additional replies and info. My partner does have a handicapped hanging placard. And yes, over the past few years, our method of trip planning (or not planning) and camping has definitely changed. I just really wanted to know what the game plan is for the non-reservation makers when their chosen campground is full. Pertaining to Bakers Hole, well, 2gypsies has indicated we will have a slim chance in the summer to get an electric site. So I guess I'll just go ahead and make reservations somewhere else in or around West Yellowstone.

We're planning on going to YSP next summer and have found Baker's Hole inviting also. We've not set a date yet, but what I'm thinking about doing is reserving a campsite for 1-3 nights and scouting out Baker's Hole and see if we can snag a site...We'll see how it works out!

[DRTDEVL]

Another note on the side bar of the handicapped toilets...

Have you seen the size of a lot of "normal" stalls? I am 6'5", 230 and just plain can't get into the little areas, maneuver, and do my business, usually because the TP dispenser is where I need to put my legs.

I will more often than not use the HC stall simply because I fit.

[Janss]

Thank you for the additional replies and info. My partner does have a handicapped hanging placard. And yes, over the past few years, our method of trip planning (or not planning) and camping has definitely changed. I just really wanted to know what the game plan is for the non-reservation makers when their chosen campground is full. Pertaining to Bakers Hole, well, 2gypsies has indicated we will have a slim chance in the summer to get an electric site. So I guess I'll just go ahead and make reservations somewhere else in or around West Yellowstone.

[Chock_Full_o__N]

traveylin wrote:
Well Janss, the individual is the only one with all the facts to make the valid reason. Dependence on an oxygen machine using commercial power would certainly drive one towards secure reservations.

However, my point was there is a lot of competition for handicap facilities from folks that have questionable need. I see it every day with handicap toilet, parking spaces, Hotel rooms, theater seats, etc. For a quantifiable benchmark, look to fed statistics regards SS disability classification growth rates.

pops

DH and DS19 are both disabled. DH has a America the Beautiful Access pass (disability pass) and handicapped plates on the truck. We don't always need an ADA site but there are times when we do and I'm not ashamed to use it.

It has been our experience at state parks and COEs that in order to get an ADA site you either have to produce evidence of disability--your tag, hanging placard, or the ATB access pass-- or the campground must be full, leaving only the ADA sites unfilled and there must be no one who does have the aforementioned proofs waiting for the ADA site. Just having an oxygen tank or CPAP does not qualify you (we have both). A doctor's note or wheelchair will not suffice. The campground doesn't need to know what your particular disability is and they cannot require you to discuss your health conditions. However, you do have to have documentation of your disabled status, in the way of a parking placard, plates, or other doc.

ETA: About using the handicapped toilets...they are put there for the convenience of handicapped people, but they are not exclusively for them. Others are invited to use them. Obviously, if there is someone in line who needs it, letting them go ahead is the right thing to do. But don't assume that because someone is mobile and looks normal that they are abusing the privilege. Personally, I use the handicapped stall as often as I can. I have such a bad time with my knees and I appreciate the grab bars and elevated seat so I can get up and get down without falling. I also use the handicapped stall when I am out with my son. It's the only stall that's big enough for two of us. When my babies were in strollers, I also used the handicapped stall--you can't get them into a regular stall and I was not about to leave them out there by themselves~!

I beg people not to judge by looks alone. My DH looks perfectly normal and you would have no idea that he is seriously ill.

[traveylin]

Well Janss, the individual is the only one with all the facts to make the valid reason. Dependence on an oxygen machine using commercial power would certainly drive one towards secure reservations.

However, my point was there is a lot of competition for handicap facilities from folks that have questionable need. I see it every day with handicap toilet, parking spaces, Hotel rooms, theater seats, etc. For a quantifiable benchmark, look to fed statistics regards SS disability classification growth rates.

pops

[bigwheelsturnin]

MTPockets1 wrote:
I always have reservations. Trip is planned well in advance and travel is always very leisurely. No need to rush to get there early, so travel day can include any stops we decide to make at Last minute. We used to go without a plan and seemed to always be thinking about where to stay and starting early. Much more pleasant following a plan with guaranteed site at days end. Also, we never stay just one night.

there's no like button...but this is the ticket...no worries

[Buckeye_Chuck]

MTPockets1 wrote:
I always have reservations. Trip is planned well in advance and travel is always very leisurely. No need to rush to get there early, so travel day can include any stops we decide to make at Last minute. We used to go without a plan and seemed to always be thinking about where to stay and starting early. Much more pleasant following a plan with guaranteed site at days end. Also, we never stay just one night.

Agree. I plan well in advance also. I usually travel around 500 miles per day. I make my reservations accordingly. Works for me..

[Janss]

Thank you all for your replies. I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts. I just got so excited to find there is a great Forest Service CG that has electric hookups on our route near Yellowstone.

pops....I do understand your concern. Even with great difficulty walking, we could stay in a site without hookups if only my partner did not need oxygen during the day (which could be tanks) and overnight, which requires plugging in an oxygen concentrator. Whether that is a valid reason for an ADA campsite, I do not know. Perhaps you could enlighten me if you know the answer.

loulou57....Some CPAPs can run on DC also. You just have to buy a DC cord and of course have a DC outlet near enough to your bed.

[traveylin]

Hopefully you have a real health reason when requesting an ADA site. My wife of 50 years caught polio 65 years ago, is paralyzed from the waist down. We see far to many very capable people, in very large 3/4 and 1 ton pickups, that normal people can't get in racing to get the HC parking spot. Because they can.

pops

[Tvov]

Let the campground know that you need electric hookup for health reasons, they may have sites reserved for ADA use - medical need falls under that (usually). I don't know about the specific campgrounds you are looking at, but the local state park in my area has a few ADA electric sites that many times are unoccupied even on busy weekends.

[traveylin]

On the road less traveled reservations are an anomaly.

pops

[MTPockets1]

I always have reservations. Trip is planned well in advance and travel is always very leisurely. No need to rush to get there early, so travel day can include any stops we decide to make at Last minute. We used to go without a plan and seemed to always be thinking about where to stay and starting early. Much more pleasant following a plan with guaranteed site at days end. Also, we never stay just one night.

[azdryheat]

I usually have reservations a couple of days in advance. We learned the hard way pulling into Minneapolis on a Friday afternoon last August that all the area campgrounds were full. Ended up driving south about a hundred miles to find a space.